Nourish NY programs to continue with $25M funding

The state will continue the Nourish NY programs with $25 million in funding.

The Nourish NY Initiative, aimed at ensuring that no New Yorker goes hungry, purchases goods from New York State farmers and producers, protecting the stability of the agricultural economy and provides New York residents with access to local foods.

Nourish NY has resulted in $26.4 million in purchases for 17 million pounds of food as of Dec. 1, 2020, according to a statement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. More than 1 million households have received food distributions and more than 4,000 farms have benefitted from the initiative.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers experienced a drastic supply chain shift, resulting in the loss of markets and income and in the waste of fresh surplus foods, particularly fluid milk. The Nourish NY initiative provided $35 million in funds for the purchase of foods grown, raised, or processed in the state and created an alternative revenue stream for farmers and dairy processors during the pandemic.